Calculate Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for US military personnel. Get accurate rates based on rank, location, and dependent status with historical comparisons.
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Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a non-taxable monthly allowance paid to military members who don't live in government quarters.
Note: BAH rates are based on local housing costs and are designed to cover 100% of median housing costs in each area.
BAH is designed to cover the median housing cost in a Military Housing Area (MHA), but the methodology has a built-in gap. The Department of Defense surveys local rental markets and sets rates to cover rent, utilities, and renter's insurance — for the median, not the average. In high-cost or rapidly appreciating markets, many service members discover their BAH falls short.
The formula targets the 50th percentile of housing costs within each MHA:
By definition, roughly half of available rentals exceed what BAH covers. Service members competing for limited housing near base often pay above median rates.
This $4,200 annual shortfall comes out of the service member's base pay — effectively reducing their real compensation at high-cost duty stations.
Tax advantage reminder: BAH is non-taxable, which makes it worth more than equivalent salary. An E-5 receiving $3,000/month in BAH would need roughly $3,600–$3,900 in taxable income to match the same purchasing power, depending on state taxes and filing status.